Tommy Morrison vs Rocky Marciano

Seamus - do you consider Morrison to be an "elite" 220 pounder?

 

of course that he was an elite 227 pounder , he was champion of the world and he was a top 10 in a strong era like the 90s, he destroyed ruddock, pinklon thomas, he did beat old foreman ,tillis,carl williams, he fought a draw with purity the guy who beats wladimir

 

i see your point but it's very similar as some who say there is really no need to have the fight, let's just compare what era they competed in and whether they were originally viewed in black and white or colour.

eras are just as silly as physiques as the sole dictator of the winner. who did they fight? who did they beat? how did they do? how do their styles match up? it's complicated **** that we reduce to pretty simple, superficial arguments sometimes.

 

I wasn't talking to you.

 

That's what everybody said when they saw Rocky spar, S. He was a whole other animal -- a beast -- in a real fight.

 

Jorodz - I agree with you totally on this too, what you describe is an equally flawed way of assessing the outcome of a fight.

 

and i did not care ... i did answer your stupid comment because i wanted...

 

I am looking forward to the end of the Klitschko era for one reason an one reason only.

It has resulted in a virtual monomania with height reach and weight, where any big heavyweight with some sort of world class credentials, however mediocre, can be favoured over a top 10 all time heavyweight who happens to be smaller.

It has virtually seen fantasy fights reduced to body building contests.

 

This isnt even about marciano v morrison. Its about those that think muscular steroid abusers who have artificially enhanced themselves to regular contender level would surpass great fighters who surpassed that level naturaly. crazy **** that has nothing to do with boxing.

 

I mean, you know that Thomas, Rudduck and Tillis were past their best, right? Rudduck had already been through those hard wars with Tyson and got stopped by Lewis as well. Tillis' prime is hard to determine but it clearly wasn't against Morrison. He was there for the taking.

Thomas was probably at his best against Witherspoon and Weaver, clearly damaged goods by the time Morrison got to him.

Puritty was never that good to begin with, Morrison really should have had an easy time with him tbh.

 

Morrison would flatten him.

 

Elite power. He beat a very difficult Foreman. He beat a dangerous Ruddock.

Yes, on a given night, he could be elite. Like many an underachieving fighter before him he liked to party too much. That, and the era in which he peaked, hurt his legacy. The guy could actually box very well and had a left hook that has to rate among the best the division ever saw.

 

I love the denial from folks who think that a 40 pound weight difference... of functional weight.. means nothing among elite or even semi-elite come forward sluggers.

I am still waiting for the first pro fighter to acknowledge this. Please, anybody?

 

Ruiz had 33pounds on Roy Jones jr.
Vitali had 34pounds on Chris Byrd before he quit.

Both also had reach and height advantages.

Showed it meant nothing at elite level.

 

Buster Mathis had 40 pounds on Frazier.

Carnera had 64 pounds on Louis.

Buddy Baer has 36 pounds on Louis.

All of these men got knocked the **** out by the little guy coming forward. There are probably a heap of other examples but I can't be arsed looking.

Louis and Frazier were elite level "come forward" fighters who had no problems overcoming significant weight disadvantages against bigger but much, much lesser fighters. Talent, skill and mindset can overcome size for all of you who pick a fight result only by looking at the scales and nothing else.